Kingdom of the fallen

Back to the song you came from

The lunch of seasoned meat brought a tangible inner smile. Torvin and Talion were traveling nonstop since they left the Resistance encampment, only stopping for a rest and lunch when Talion finally realised that Torvin was still alive and needed it.

The dwarf took another large bite out of the baked meat.

Talion took up a perch on a large boulder near the campfire, his back turned to the fire, while looking into the distance, occasionally glaring daggers at the bushes to the side, but always looking back into the distance with a growing annoyance.

Another bite followed, although more reluctantly.

"Ya not hungry, cap'n?"

There was a thoughtful pause.

"I don't know."

"Ya don't? Don't ye need it to...well...live?"

A small chuckle resonated out of the nazgûl, traveling lightly through the different planes of experience as Talion faced the curious dwarf.

"I'm not quite alive anymore. I do have a physical body, so I would be able to. On the other hand, I am more wraith than the man I used to be, most of my energy comes from the unseen world and the faith of my followers in me. And so, my answer is that honestly have no idea."

"Well...aye, but aren't ya hungry at all? Wouldn't want to deprave ya feeble self of the little flood ye might need is all."

Talion gave a patient smile, as he looked to some rustling bushes some distance away.

"I truly don't need it my friend, but you might want to extend the offer to your friends hiding in the bushes. They seem to be a bit short on their supplies."

Torvin immediately spun around to the rustling bushes only to catch a glimpse of a dark blue fabric, steel, and dark leather. Torvin's blood began to boil.

"YE TWO BEARDLESS PORRIDGE-EATIN' RUST-BUCKETS, GET OUT HERE, NOW!"

After a moment of strained silence, two figures emerged out of the cover that the slowly dying plants provided.

The children stood before Torvin, openly challenging him to tell them of, but obviously lacking the personal conviction to go through with it if the dwarf took them up on it. The girl looked no more the 25 with the boy looking to be the same age, if not a little older.

The girl was of a darker skin tone, a mix between the Haradrim and West tones, but leaning more into the darker side. Her dark blue hand-me-down Ithilian armour allowed for her dirty blond, almost brown hair to pop up as one of the first things to be noticed about her besides her deep brown eyes. She wore a smug look as a default, despite being that on a shorter side. Her hand wandered towards her sword when she noticed Talion still listening.

The boy wasn't much of an improvement, considering that he has not stopped staring wide eyed at Talion since they left Minas Morgul.

Unlike his friend, the boy was obviously a noticeably young ranger. His leather armour seemed worn and strangely familiar, even without the Black Gate markings and just like Talion, he wore his blades on his back. He was very obviously Weston, with brown hair and eyes to match, with features that reminded Talion of someone. If only he could figure out who.

"- AND EVEN THEN, THEY'D BREAK ME LIKE AN ANVIL-DROPPIN' LUMP OF ANTHRACITE!"

"That's a bit extreme, don't you think?"

"IT'S THE TRUTH!"

Torvin bent over as he let out a great sigh to try and calm himself. The choked laughter of the two young adults did not help his nerves a bit. He straightened out only to shut the children up with a death glare.